If you’re dreaming about becoming an emergency medical technician, you’re not the only one. It’s a strong and popular career choice. There are plenty of EMT jobs across the United States, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding employment. As an emergency medical technician, you can be proud of your job. You save lives, even if the paramedics take all the credit. What is more, you can easily advance to other healthcare positions. Just think about it. You can become a nurse, a doctor, or embrace any other career in medicine.
To become an EMT, you need to successfully complete an EMT course, which is a minimum of 170 hours in length. You learn everything there is to know about assessing a patient and determining if they suffer life-threatening injuries or illnesses. While you don’t need to have the highest medical training, as do doctors and nurses, you do need EMT training. When you’re new and inexperienced, it’s hard, if not impossible to separate good practices from bad ones. When you delve into learning in your EMT classes, keep in mind that it’s important to focus on anatomy and pathophysiology. Plus, having certification in BLS will also come in handy when preparing to become an EMT.
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Don’t have time to come to class each day? No problem
At times, life can be pretty overwhelming and exhausting. You barely have time for anything. You have to meet with loved ones, make payments on time, work late hours, and the list goes on. It’s understandable if you don’t have time to come to class each day. But how are you going to make your dream come true? The good news is that you can complete part of your EMT training online. During the program, you have complete access to the national EMT basic curriculum. This includes lectures, PowerPoint presentations, audiobooks, and more. Training is ensured by instructors with experience in the field, who understand what it’s like to work under pressure.
EMT certification can’t be completed 100% online
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some changes have been made to the course delivery. Lectures, which used to be scheduled on-site, are now held in an interactive web-based format. Nevertheless, laboratories are still conducted on-site, following very strict social distancing measures and demanding students to wear facial coverings. The point is that EMT training can’t be completed exclusively online due to the nature of learning. It’s recommended to complete an online EMT training program if you’ve already completed a certification program and are looking forward to refreshing your knowledge.
As opposed to traditional courses, distance learning courses concentrate on technical, safety, and ethical issues involved in being an emergency responder. As an emergency medical technician, you need to:
- Stay calm
- Know when and how to delegate work
- Express empathy
You’ll learn the ins and outs of specific medical conditions, not to mention how to handle them. Equally, you’ll get a good understanding of the following:
- Anatomy and human development
- Medical terminology
- Safety protocols
- EMS systems
- Pharmacology
- Patient assessment
- Emergency responses to specific populations
- Oxygenation and ventilation
Salary, growth opportunities, and job outlook for EMTs
If you work as an emergency medical technician, you won’t become rich overnight. Nonetheless, you’ll make more than enough to make ends meet. According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for an EMT is roughly $32,491 per year in United States. Many types of businesses require first responders, so you can build a career at a stadium, amusement park, casino, mine, clinic, wilderness guide program, and so forth. The location determines what type of organization needs your skills. What you need to understand is that, to earn a good paycheck, you have to secure a good job. Not all positions pay the same.
Almost all EMTs work full-time hours, meaning that 35 to 40 hours is generally considered full-time, but you can expect to work even more hours, depending on your employer. In some instances, it can be less. At any rate, you’re likely to do shifts that include weekends, nights, and holidays. It’s up to you if you want to work in a rural or urban setting. Most importantly, you enjoy job security. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be dismissed. Job stability in the field depends on the working environment, fair policies and practice, and appreciation.
At one point, you’ll have to renew your EMT certification
In case you didn’t already know, all states require emergency medical technicians to renew their certifications. The time frame varies from one country to the other, but most of them have a two-year interval. When the time comes to renew your basic certification, enroll in a refresher course to keep your credentials current. You can either complete the state-approved courses or retake the cognitive EMS examination within 6 months of your certification’s expiration. If you’ve had a lapse in certification that’s bigger than 2 years, it’s necessary to complete an EMT basic training course and retake the examinations.
Even if you’re fairly comfortable with your knowledge base and skills, you should retake the entire course. It’s anything but a waste of time. State-approved training courses are organized by various sources, including but not limited to local community colleges, vocational schools, and universities. It’s up to you to make sure that the course matches the state requirements where you plan to work. As highlighted earlier, courses comprise academic learning and hands-on experience. The instructor is available for contact at all times. They’ll provide the best-rounded educational experience possible. If you want to make the most out of every class, you know what to do.
To sum up, it’s a good idea to continue your education, which implies studying and attending more classes. You don’t have all the time in the world, yet think about the added benefits, both professional and personal. Ongoing training is essential because your skills fade with time there are numerous approaches you can take, such as lecture programs and conferences, self-study programs, case reviews, etc. You’re important to the community and the population. Your skills need to be up to the challenge. Make sure you have the right knowledge and skills to continue in the field.